Researchers have developed a new medical chewing gum that can lower the amount of viruses in the mouth by over 95%. This breakthrough could play a big role in slowing down the spread of many common viral infections, including the flu virus and herpes simplex virus.
This study was done by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, in partnership with a team from Finland. The results were published in the journal Molecular Therapy and shared by EurekAlert in January.
What Is Viral Load?
Viral load means how much virus is present in a person’s blood or body. A higher viral load usually means the infection is stronger and spreads more easily. So if we can reduce viral load, we can also reduce the chances of infecting others.
What Makes This Gum Special?
The gum is made using a natural antiviral protein called FRIL. This protein is taken from lablab beans (Lablab purpureus), a tropical legume plant. Scientists turned this protein into a medicine that you can chew like regular gum.
They tested the gum on two types of herpes simplex virus and two strains of influenza A virus. The results showed that just 40 milligrams of the gum reduced the viral load in the mouth by more than 95%. That’s the same kind of drop they saw earlier with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2).
Safe and Ready for Human Use
The researchers didn’t just test how well the gum works — they also focused on making it safe for people to use. They followed safety standards from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so the gum is now ready for the next step: clinical trials on humans.
This kind of gum could become a new way to prevent infections, especially in places where viruses enter the body, like the mouth. Since the mouth is often the first point of contact for viruses, reducing their presence there could help stop infections early.
What’s Next for the Gum?
The research team is now looking into adding this gum to bird feed to help fight bird flu (H5N1). This virus has already infected over 54 million birds in North America in the last few months.
Earlier studies showed that lablab bean powder can stop certain strains of influenza A — the same strains that cause bird flu in both birds and humans. So adding the antiviral to bird feed could help control the spread of this dangerous virus in wildlife and poultry.
This new antiviral gum could become a simple and powerful tool in the fight against viruses — helping to protect both people and animals from fast-spreading infections.